Diana's Central Park DVD...release coming soon?

[skooldem1]

The other day on a PBS station in San Fransisco they aired Diana Ross's Central Park concerts all night long. You may want to check your local listings. Well it turns out that they are also selling it as an "official release" if you pledge. Kind of expensive at $100.00 to join. I wonder if this means that in the coming year it will be released to the general public?

Here are more details about the DVD and what is included.



4204



On July 21, 1983, the legendary Diana Ross took the stage in New York's Central Park before an audience of over 800,000 adoring fans. Soon after the singer began, pouring rain and heavy wind threatened to put an end to the show, but Diana pushed on for much of the set, urging the drenched crowd to remain calm and stay with her. Eventually the torrential storm put an end to the performance, but not before Diana promised her fans she would return the next day. True to her word, Diana performed the entire concert again on July 22nd for the people of New York and, as planned, proceeds from the concert benefited the Diana Ross Playground, which was built three years later in Central Park. Initially broadcast live around the world, this renowned concert was never again shown on television, and has never been released on DVD until now. Setlist I'm Coming Out Home Family It's My House Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand) Let's Go Up? Supremes Medley: Reflections / Baby Love / Stop! In The Name Love / Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart God Bless The Child Mirror, Mirror Maniac You Can't Hurry Love Upside Down So Close Why Do Fools Fall In Love Ribbon In The Sky Beat It Muscles Endless Love Theme From Mahogany [[Do You Know Where You're Going To) Ain't No Mountain High Enough All For One Bonus Features *Complete Rained-Out Concert From Previous Day *Commentary By Director Steve Binder Running Time 2 hours and 40 minutes: 1 hour 50 minutes for the full show 49 minutes of the rained out show Legal Line [[c) 2012 Anaid Film Productions under license to Shout! Factory LLC, 2034 Armacost Ave., Floor 1, Los Angeles, CA 90025. All Rights Reserved. For noncommercial private exhibition in homes only. Any public performance, other use or copying is strictly prohibited.



https://www.kqed.org/donate/catalogue.jsp?pgmid=20503

[drewschultz88]

That story reminds me of this clip - looks like it was pouring, and the crowd was having a blast!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqo209RzdPo

[reese]

It will probably be released commercially after pledge season is over. The same thing has happened with previous PBS pledge specials. But so far, I don't see any mention of Diana's dvd on the Shout! Factory site. And at least on this version, it looks as if some songs are missing.

I used to work at a PBS affiliate, and months after pledge, they would offer employees unsold pledge materials very cheap. I bought a lot of PBS music dvds that way.

[skooldem1]

I'm glad that Diana has shaken the dust off of "ANAID Productions". Maybe this is just the beginning.

[marybrewster]

Long overdue release, and just in time for her LIFETIME Grammy Award honor.

[carlo]

OMG!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH SKOOL DEM!!! I THINK I JUST WET MY PANTS!! :) :) :) Great news!! I'm gonna try to pledge and get this NOW!! It's about time!! :)

[carlo]

Oh darn! They're only shipping to the U.S. at this particular moment. My local PBS station will be airing it in March. Hopefully I can purchase it before then! :) Thanks for the heads up!

[carlo]

I've had this on DVD for years, but it will be nice to finally have it in official form with restored audio and picture!

[carlo]

And at least on this version, it looks as if some songs are missing.

Yeah, it looks like the "Pieces Of Ice" dance number is missing. Hopefully it was just omitted by mistake from the setlist? Are there any others?

[Roberta75]

The other day on a PBS station in San Fransisco they aired Diana Ross's Central Park concerts all night long. You may want to check your local listings. Well it turns out that they are also selling it as an "official release" if you pledge. Kind of expensive at $100.00 to join. I wonder if this means that in the coming year it will be released to the general public?

Here are more details about the DVD and what is included.



4204



On July 21, 1983, the legendary Diana Ross took the stage in New York's Central Park before an audience of over 800,000 adoring fans. Soon after the singer began, pouring rain and heavy wind threatened to put an end to the show, but Diana pushed on for much of the set, urging the drenched crowd to remain calm and stay with her. Eventually the torrential storm put an end to the performance, but not before Diana promised her fans she would return the next day. True to her word, Diana performed the entire concert again on July 22nd for the people of New York and, as planned, proceeds from the concert benefited the Diana Ross Playground, which was built three years later in Central Park. Initially broadcast live around the world, this renowned concert was never again shown on television, and has never been released on DVD until now. Setlist I'm Coming Out Home Family It's My House Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand) Let's Go Up? Supremes Medley: Reflections / Baby Love / Stop! In The Name Love / Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart God Bless The Child Mirror, Mirror Maniac You Can't Hurry Love Upside Down So Close Why Do Fools Fall In Love Ribbon In The Sky Beat It Muscles Endless Love Theme From Mahogany [[Do You Know Where You're Going To) Ain't No Mountain High Enough All For One Bonus Features *Complete Rained-Out Concert From Previous Day *Commentary By Director Steve Binder Running Time 2 hours and 40 minutes: 1 hour 50 minutes for the full show 49 minutes of the rained out show Legal Line [[c) 2012 Anaid Film Productions under license to Shout! Factory LLC, 2034 Armacost Ave., Floor 1, Los Angeles, CA 90025. All Rights Reserved. For noncommercial private exhibition in homes only. Any public performance, other use or copying is strictly prohibited.

https://www.kqed.org/donate/catalogue.jsp?pgmid=20503

Great news and about time.

Roberta

[Jimi LaLumia]

very exciting..I watched both nites as they happened on HBO, back in the day..can't wait to buy a copy/

[reese]

Yeah, it looks like the "Pieces Of Ice" dance number is missing. Hopefully it was just omitted by mistake from the setlist? Are there any others?

Also missing:

The Prophet

Lady Sings The Blues

T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do

I Cried For You

Work That Body
[[which Diana stopped shortly after starting it, because I think the crowd might have been getting a bit unruly)

Based on the set list, this dvd seems to be the same as what aired on later cable showings, as well as the syndicated version that aired in local markets in the 80s.

[carlo]

You're right Reese. She did perform those Lady Sings the Blues numbers. I don't think she even started to sing "Work That Body"? I remember the band had started up and played a few seconds, but as you say, she stopped because the crowd was getting unruly. I don't think I've ever heard/seen her performance of "The Prophet". It's not included on the version that I have, but I know there are different versions of this concert floating around out there. I remember her mentioning that particular song on Day 1 because they skip "The Prophet" and go into the Supremes Medley instead.

[Sugarchilehoneybaby]

Creaming over this!!!!

I'm tempted to pledge to that SF station just to get this NOW. lol

"The Prophet" wasn't a song, I don't think. "The Prophet" is the book by Khalil Gibran that Diana read some passages from.

"And he spoke to use of love...think not that you can direct the course of love..." etc. :)

[reese]

Creaming over this!!!!

I'm tempted to pledge to that SF station just to get this NOW. lol

"The Prophet" wasn't a song, I don't think. "The Prophet" is the book by Khalil Gibran that Diana read some passages from.

"And he spoke to use of love...think not that you can direct the course of love..." etc. :)

Not quite sure what it would be called, but in addition to reading from THE PROPHET, Diana sang some lines as well.

I saw her in concert a few weeks after Central Park, and THE PROPHET segment wasn't included. So the Central Park performance of it might have been a one-time thing.

[marv2]

That story reminds me of this clip - looks like it was pouring, and the crowd was having a blast!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqo209RzdPo

Wow! That was wonderful. Look at that crowd! Edwin Starr was always a crowd favorite. Great singer, great performer. Thanks Drew for this.